Chiefs declare Matt Araiza winner in offseason punter battle before training camp even arrives

A winner has already been declared in one of the most important offseason position battles for the Kansas City Chiefs. 

On Thursday, the Chiefs released former BYU P Ryan Rehkow to make room for Montana DT Alex Gubner on the 90-man offseason roster. The move effectively declares former Buffalo Bills draft pick Matt Araiza the winner in the team's offseason battle to replace Tommy Townsend as the starting punter in Kansas City. 

Rehkow was an undrafted free agent signing following the 2024 NFL draft, while Araiza was signed this offseason and given a second chance in the league. Chiefs special team coordinator Dave Toub weighed in on the competition between Araiza and Rehkow, describing it as "real close" just a few weeks ago. 

“I’m going to tell you both (Matt Araiza and Ryan Rehkow) these guys are really good, both," Toub said. "Matt is a lefty and Ryan is a righty, and they’re both excellent and they’re both NFL punters. I’m going to tell you it’s a real close battle right now, we kick them as much as we can without wearing out their legs." 

What could have put Araiza over the edge in the competition? 

Well, there's a reason he's nicknamed "The Punt God." The guy has an absolute cannon for leg and coming out of San Diego State, he ranked first in FBS history in punt average (51.4 avg.), career 60-yard punts (18), and career 50-yard punts (39). His average punt in his final season went 51.1 yards. Over 51% of his punts also landed within the opposing 20-yard line. 

It's also worth considering that Toub said Harrison Butker would have some say in this decision, too. Araiza appears to have won the battle not just as a punter, but at all the other things he can do well. That includes holding on field goals and extra points. Accuracy on fake punt passes and his athletic ability to run the ball on fakes. 

Finally, there is some value in the fact that Araiza was also a placekicker for the Aztecs. With the new kickoff rules, there is a need to have a stable of players capable of doing kickoffs. Araiza brings something unique to the fold there being that he's a lefty.